Baby Steps
by purpleunity321
Summary: It takes baby steps to gain love. Better story. Sequel to 'Mistake' Warning: homosexuality, cursing, slight angsty, slight AU, slight OC-ish-ness, R&R, No flaming please.


_I'm still alive! ...Just... not writing fanfiction. _

_Okay! So I've been getting reviews that you want me to continue on with 'Mistake' and 'Rave of the Season' so here's a quickshot. I may rewrite it later, though..._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks. If I did, Dark Ace wouldn't of died._

_Warning: Homosexuality, slight cursing, angst, a bit of OC-ish-ness, but not a lot. _

_Enjoy._

* * *

Baby Steps

It's hard, having a new lover, Aerrow decided.

It's harder when said lover is your enemy.

They had been sneaking secluded bits of love between battles. Dark Ace subtly was vying for more one-man battles, to get more pockets of comfort with Aerrow. Aerrow was trying to gain more Cylconia undercover ops for only himself, so he could sneak off with Ace. Both weren't getting anywhere, so they cherished the moments they had already, which was Dark Ace bypassing Stork's "security" of Condor, and making out with Aerrow in the teen's bunk. It was during one of those times when they realized they needed a better plan.

More specifically, Piper knocked on his door.

Dark Ace immediately retreated his fingers from Aerrow's chest, quietly rolling off the bed. Aerrow scrambled to pull down his shirt, smoothing his hair while frantically hitching up his pants. Calming himself, and Dark Ace safely hidden, he cleared his throat before replying "Yes?"

"It's me, Piper."

"Aerrow softly cursed. "What is it Piper?"

"Stork says there's a crack in the hull."

"So?" Aerrow frowned, "We'll get it fixed the next time we land."

"Yeah, but Stork's freaking out that it may get bigger and all sorts of bugs and germs and stuff could get in, and I've seen it and it's pretty huge, so Stork's requesting emergency landing."

Aerrow cursed again. One, this had been the fifth time Condor was landed for minor repairs. Two, did he forget to mention that he was a forbidden lover underneath his bed? Sighing, he collected himself.

"Sure," he said tiredly. "Find the first habitual terra, and go ahead."

"Thanks." A pause. "Aerrow are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine Piper."

"But-"

"I'm _fine_, Piper."

Pause. "Alright." Barely a whisper before steps walking away.

Aerrow rested a hand against the door. That was too close. _Way_ too close. This couldn't keep like this. They had to-

"You need a Fly Hook." Aerrow jumped at the whisper, whilring to see Dark Ace sliding from underneath a bed. The man wrinkled his nose. "And a maid. Have you even checked lately what's underneath there?"

Aerrow smiled, shaking his head. "No." Pause. "What's a Fly Hook?" he whispered, padding over to the Cylconian.

Dark Ace chuckled softly at Aerrow. "A Fly Hook is basically a skilled mechanic/inventor; they exceeded so well in ship mechanics that they could perform repairs while the ship was in movement. The name comes from the fact that they use hooks to move around the outer hull, taking away the inconvenience of landing. Once, every ship had at least one Fly Hook. Some had more."

Aerrow looked at hi, wrapping his arms around the man. "What happened?" he asked hesitantly. Dark Ace's gaze darkened, lost in memory.

"Cyclonia launched an attack on Terra Tecka, the Fly Hook's home-terra. The attack was so great that the whole terra fell into the wastelands."

"I remember," Aerrow murmured. "Mother used to tell me stories of Terra Tecka…and the Fall."

Dark Ace nodded sadly, turning his face away. Aerrow peered closer in the dark.

"Were you part of that attack?"

Dark Ace shook his head. "I was still a newbie when they called all experienced soldiers for that attack. And it was months before I heard the news." He paused. "I was devastated. Terra Tecka to me was a wonderful place. It was like my second home."

Aerrow gave a silent mumble as he fiercely hugged the Cyclonian. "I love you," were the words he mouthed to the flesh. Dark Ace wrapped his arms around the boy, bringing his head down to inhale his lover's sweet scent.

* * *

"Come on Aerrow."

"Where are we going?"

"I may be a Cyclonian, but I am still a man of honor Aerrow." A pause. "Just not noble honor."

_'He's smirking; I can feel it,' _Aerrow realized, nearly tripping over before warm calloused hands braced his body from falling. Aerrow felt a flush forming as he remembered where else the hands had been.

"We're here." A click of a lock turning, and Aerrow was gently pushed inside. Whipping off the blindfold, he blinked when he realized where he was. A slightly empty, greatly dusty apartment stared back at him. It was small, with a kitchen nook in the corner and one door leading to the bathroom. About 9ft away stood a double bed underneath the only window, which was covered with blinds. Aerrow walked over to the window, peeking outside. Terra Neon stared back at him.

"So? What do you think?"

"I didn't realize there were apartments here," Aerrow murmured, dropping away from the window. "Terra Neon. Nice."

"I had this place before," Dark Ace murmured from behind him. Aerrow looked up at him in surprise.

"Then why-" he cut himself off, biting back. He glanced around again. Though there were signs of neglect, the place looked clean, free of any infestation, albeit dusty. There was an old sofa in the corner, patched but free of any stains, and a guitar laying on a charred coffee table.

"You live here don't you?" Aerrow asked with growing realization. Ace shrugged.

"Sometimes; I bought this place around the time I was promoted into the high ranks of Cyclonia; it's nice to leave the Palace and relax without worrying about soldiers or two _certain_ brown-nosing siblings." He paused, gently running a finger against the blacked frame of the coffee table. "As soon as I could get a couple of days off, I went back to the site of where Terra Tecka fell," Ace said quietly, "I actually dove into the wastelands and this was the first thing I could find." He ran a hand against the top. "It's the only thing I saved from there."

Aerrow walked over to Ace, resting a hand on his shoulder, trying to image what that felt like, and realized, that he couldn't.

He never lost a home before.

So sighing, Aerrow merely stood standing beside Dark Ace, staring at the charred figure of what was left of Terra Tecka.

* * *

"Hey, Aerrow, what's up!" Finn grinned when the Storm Hawk leader returned in the evening. Aerrow smiled, chuckling slightly.

"Nothing important; found out it was just an error, eh heh." He blushed at the team groaned.

Piper face-palmed. "So that whole threat that Dark Ace and Cyclonians attacking was just a big hoax?"

"Yeah; Some goons thought it'll be funny, but don't worry, Pipe," Aerrow winked. "They'll won't be making up stories anytime soon."

"It seems kind of odd," Stork appeared next to Piper. She screamed. "That you were the only one to of heard that message relay."

Aerrow smiled placidly. "Funny, huh?" He said, waving off Stork's suspicious. "Next time I'll wake you before you leave."

"You better; we were getting worried!" Piper pouted. Aerrow smiled warmly at her.

He yawned. "I'm tired guys; I think I'm going to hit the sack, is that alight?" Getting the pardons from the rest of the crew, he bid them goodnight.

He fell to the ground with relief when he locked his bunk's door. Picking himself up again with a groan, he shed his clothes, collapsing naked into his bed. Sighing, he looked up at the ceiling, reviewing the events of today.

After the moment, they decided to agree on meeting there next month. Which have Aerrow four weeks to somehow manage to persuade the Storm Hawks to let him out of their sights for three days.

Still, it was a start.

_'Baby steps,'_ Aerrow thought as he drifted off to sleep. _'Baby Steps.'_

After all it's hard having a lover that's supposed to be your mortal enemy.

But the outcome was worth it.

* * *

_...Can you tell that I was writing it during class? Yeah, I apologize. I'll put up a better story of DarkAcexAerrow soon...perhaps. _

_Review if wished to, but NO FLAMES!_

_Have a nice day._


End file.
